A comical solo trip to the South West – what I've been up to so far

[westfalia]

I don't! I drink "fake" beer, sorry. Peroni Libera... It's lush.

Thats okay then.
For a minute i thought it was a real disaster

 

[Alform]

Just a thought the fridge temp..

Is the lid fully down ? I had an issue where i thought it was closed then realised it had not "clicked" down to form a tight seal.

 

[CaliKate]

Thats okay then.
For a minute i thought it was a real disaster

Oh gosh, I’d be on the bourbon if that was the case! Haha

 

[CaliKate]

Just a thought the fridge temp..

Is the lid fully down ? I had an issue where i thought it was closed then realised it had not "clicked" down to form a tight seal.

Ooh thanks for the tip! I’ll double check thanks

 

[kurienp]

Calikate, enjoying reading this can see that you're having fun. Enjoy

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[CaliKate]

ok, so fridge is definitely closed. Got a load of ice at the back of the fridge. Like a big thick wedge of ice. That’s not right on level one is it!?

Back home tomorrow so I’ll defrost it! And see what happens.

Thanks kurienp! I really am loving this!

 

[bigmac77]

ok, so fridge is definitely closed. Got a load of ice at the back of the fridge. Like a big thick wedge of ice. That’s not right on level one is it!?

Back home tomorrow so I’ll defrost it! And see what happens.

Thanks kurienp! I really am loving this!

No that’s not right.

 

[CaliKate]

Further update: I’m enjoying my last evening in the van, solo. Earlier today, I managed to bang my head on the roof and now have a spectacular red lump.

I also leant forward from the seat whilst cooking, putting my head under the table to reach the cupboard and I fell in a heap under the table and got stuck. Haha!

I spent six hours driving today as well! So shattered. Back home to Manchester tomorrow. Night all!

 

[Nick.C]

Further update: I’m enjoying my last evening in the van, solo. Earlier today, I managed to bang my head on the roof and now have a spectacular red lump.

I also leant forward from the seat whilst cooking, putting my head under the table to reach the cupboard and I fell in a heap under the table and got stuck. Haha!

I spent six hours driving today as well! So shattered. Back home to Manchester tomorrow. Night all!

Now you know why the roof/top bed is better up!! I could just do with the side door opening being a bit taller - that seems to be my nemesis

 

[Tandt]

Cali's always get a lot of attention, most of it positive I find, but there can be some crass people out there: normally living in a big white thing powered, or should I say underpowered, by a vintage looking, wheezing, smoking fiat ducato.

As for the gender stereotyper..... my worst was "does hubby let you off the lead often?"......to which my reply, consisting of concentrated wrath of Jen, I'm sure his ears are still ringing with ..... something about "I don't have a hubby, I don't have a lead, I do have a brain which I normally employ before speaking and shouldn't you be off now getting the dishes washed?" , said in a manner that I used to reserve for my most intractably juvenile students who needed reminding that I was boss of the lecture hall, not them.

When a friend and I were looking at new very expensive motorhomes one of the salesmen asked us how much our husbands had given us to spend!

 

[andrew bazeley]

Very amusing stuff - yes, we've all been through the rather long learning process! As for the bed, I'm a committed upstairs-er. I honestly think the mattress is softer. The main advantage is that you don't have to clear everything away downstairs. You can actually keep a duvet on the roof bed during the day, when you push it up. So when you go to bed, you only have to sort out pillows. I am biassed though: when I bought the van 11 years ago, I went to the expense of putting a Gore-tex liner in the roof. It makes a massive difference to the temperature.

 

[Tandt]

Thought you didn't drink.

Now you know why the roof/top bed is better up!! I could just do with the side door opening being a bit taller - that seems to be my nemesis

I constantly hit the doorway on the way out until one way I hit it so hard I went dizzy and had to lay down in the van. Top priority to remember now!

 

[CaliKate]

When a friend and I were looking at new very expensive motorhomes one of the salesmen asked us how much our husbands had given us to spend!

That’s terrible! I Hope you put him right. What did you say? If it were me, I’d have brought out the big one word bombshell that ALWAYS makes people check themselves. Simply say, after a dramatic pause, “wow”... and then just look at them with a mixture of bemusement and bewilderment. I’ve had men literally stumble over themselves to backtrack.

 

[TripleBee]

Thought you didn't drink.

Not anymore after the explosion.

 

[BikerGran]

When I used to ride a motorcycle I used to get people (blokes) asking me "What does your husband ride?" Answer - He doesn't, he has no interest in bikes at all. Next question "How did you get into bikes then?" Well actually, I thought I'd like to ride a bike so I bought one and did.
I used to go to bike rallies - not quite like Cali meets, they consist of camping in a field, doing lots of drinking and playing silly games, and talking a lot of rubbish preferably round a campfire. So more than once I was asked "So your husband lets you go to rallies on your own?" I used to answer with raised eyebows and an incredulous, What do you mean, lets me?
That was the clincher, they didn't know what to say!

Another time at a bike show with my bike club, a male friend came with me to look at a bike I was thinking of buying from one of the stands. The salesman kept speaking to Tom instead of me and Tom kept saying "Don't tell me, talk to her, she's the that looking for a bike". Bloke just couldn't grasp that so I went elsewhere!

They can't help it, they are Mere Males!

 

[CaliKate]

When I used to ride a motorcycle I used to get people (blokes) asking me "What does your husband ride?" Answer - He doesn't, he has no interest in bikes at all. Next question "How did you get into bikes then?" Well actually, I thought I'd like to ride a bike so I bought one and did.
I used to go to bike rallies - not quite like Cali meets, they consist of camping in a field, doing lots of drinking and playing silly games, and talking a lot of rubbish preferably round a campfire. So more than once I was asked "So your husband lets you go to rallies on your own?" I used to answer with raised eyebows and an incredulous, What do you mean, lets me?
That was the clincher, they didn't know what to say!

Another time at a bike show with my bike club, a male friend came with me to look at a bike I was thinking of buying from one of the stands. The salesman kept speaking to Tom instead of me and Tom kept saying "Don't tell me, talk to her, she's the that looking for a bike". Bloke just couldn't grasp that so I went elsewhere!

They can't help it, they are Mere Males!

That’s insane! I live in a city suburb so I understand I’m in a bubble, I.e. mostly surrounded by worldly, open-minded progressive people who enjoy living in a big melting pot of diversity and liberalism. Well, that’s my perspective anyway.

So it always comes as a complete shock when I come across people who have such old fashioned views.

I can’t believe they said those things to you. The next time anyone gives me any rubbish, I’m going to tell them that they’re being rude. I’ve had enough of just brushing off these comments.

So if anyone says, where’s your husband? I’m going to say, Why? Why do you ask? Is it because a little woman like me shouldn’t be out on her own in an expensive van? Does it baffle your tiny little mind that I could’ve bought this van on my own? Would it freak you out if I told you that yes, I do have a husband but we regularly have holidays without one another and often don’t know what each other are up to because we are independent individuals who don’t depend on each other, but only for companionship and love?

Well, maybe I wouldn’t say all of that. But it absolutely baffles me why we still have to put up with this sh*t!?!

I could go on. But I’ll leave it there. Plenty of nice people in the world.

 

[BikerGran]

That’s insane! I live in a city suburb so I understand I’m in a bubble, I.e. mostly surrounded by worldly, open-minded progressive people who enjoy living in a big melting pot of diversity and liberalism. Well, that’s my perspective anyway.

So it always comes as a complete shock when I come across people who have such old fashioned views.

I can’t believe they said those things to you. The next time anyone gives me any rubbish, I’m going to tell them that they’re being rude. I’ve had enough of just brushing off these comments.

So if anyone says, where’s your husband? I’m going to say, Why? Why do you ask? Is it because a little woman like me shouldn’t be out on her own in an expensive van? Does it baffle your tiny little mind that I could’ve bought this van on my own? Would it freak you out if I told you that yes, I do have a husband but we regularly have holidays without one another and often don’t know what each other are up to because we are independent individuals who don’t depend on each other, but only for companionship and love?

Well, maybe I wouldn’t say all of that. But it absolutely baffles me why we still have to put up with this sh*t!?!

I could go on. But I’ll leave it there. Plenty of nice people in the world.

Have to just tell you, yesterday in a beauty spot car park in the touristy area where I live, I was greeted in a friendly manner by a couple who had just parked, then he said "That's a big vehicle for just one (slight hesitation, possible change of words?) ..person".

The previous experience was about 20 years ago, things have changed a lot, I get more credit these days for doing my own thing and letting my husband do his, even in a small rural town, and certainly among bikers.

 

[westfalia]

yesterday in a beauty spot car park

It could have been a Dogging place.

 

[Skylark2.0]

You’ll end up with a flat battery?

Not unless you listen to it all night, it doesn't use much power and we are always on hook up! It's fabulous even when it's not on loud. What's the point in having a kick ass sound system and not using it?

 

[Skylark2.0]

Cali's always get a lot of attention, most of it positive I find, but there can be some crass people out there: normally living in a big white thing powered, or should I say underpowered, by a vintage looking, wheezing, smoking fiat ducato.

As for the gender stereotyper..... my worst was "does hubby let you off the lead often?"......to which my reply, consisting of concentrated wrath of Jen, I'm sure his ears are still ringing with ..... something about "I don't have a hubby, I don't have a lead, I do have a brain which I normally employ before speaking and shouldn't you be off now getting the dishes washed?" , said in a manner that I used to reserve for my most intractably juvenile students who needed reminding that I was boss of the lecture hall, not them.

Do you sell tickets, this sounds like great fun. I wish I could think of stuff like that on the spot!

 

[Skylark2.0]

Well, any chance I had of coming on here and making a cool impression has gone!

You get my vote, please carry on as you have started! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Skylark2.0]

That’s insane! I live in a city suburb so I understand I’m in a bubble, I.e. mostly surrounded by worldly, open-minded progressive people who enjoy living in a big melting pot of diversity and liberalism. Well, that’s my perspective anyway.

So it always comes as a complete shock when I come across people who have such old fashioned views.

I can’t believe they said those things to you. The next time anyone gives me any rubbish, I’m going to tell them that they’re being rude. I’ve had enough of just brushing off these comments.

So if anyone says, where’s your husband? I’m going to say, Why? Why do you ask? Is it because a little woman like me shouldn’t be out on her own in an expensive van? Does it baffle your tiny little mind that I could’ve bought this van on my own? Would it freak you out if I told you that yes, I do have a husband but we regularly have holidays without one another and often don’t know what each other are up to because we are independent individuals who don’t depend on each other, but only for companionship and love?

Well, maybe I wouldn’t say all of that. But it absolutely baffles me why we still have to put up with this sh*t!?!

I could go on. But I’ll leave it there. Plenty of nice people in the world.

Being liberal I suppose you could go for shock tactics and ask them where their husband is!!

 

[Brian’s Dad]

Not unless you listen to it all night, it doesn't use much power and we are always on hook up! It's fabulous even when it's not on loud. What's the point in having a kick ass sound system and not using it?

The stereo runs off the starter battery, there are many stories of flat starter batteries secondary to using the stereo, I note you've got a T5 so the power consumption maybe less than the newer units.. The general consensus is that the EHU doesn't charge the starter battery sufficiently to prevent this happening. It's now advertised as a 'new feature' on the T6.1.

 

[Skylark2.0]

The stereo runs off the starter battery, there are many stories of flat starter batteries secondary to using the stereo, I note you've got a T5 so the power consumption maybe less than the newer units.. The general consensus is that the EHU doesn't charge the starter battery sufficiently to prevent this happening. It's now advertised as a 'new feature' on the T6.1.

To be fair we rarely have it on for more than 1.5 hrs

 

[BikerGran]

It could have been a Dogging place.

But it's not! (I'm a local) Sorry to disappoint! Anyway at my age maybe I'd be grateful!!!